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VOLUME 37 AUGUST, 2011
―I now feel
that I am also
responsible
for the
constitutionmaking
process and I
intend to do
everything I
can do to
help!‖ said
Ayer.
….
UN Information Centre Kathmandu
others who suffered like us because
of society‘s pressure was to join the
radio and provide them with better
information.‖
Radio Didi-Bahini was started two
years ago in Parbat district by Nari
Uthan Samaz. Its motive has been
to inform the local people about
social evils that prevail in the
community and to help minimize
social discrimination against women
and Dalits through their radio
programs. Radio Didi-Bahini also
provides information on education,
health, sports, environment and
agriculture, as well as tourism in the
region.
Khatri was a participant at the twoday
media orientation on
constitutional issues organized by
UNDP SPCBN and Equal Access
from July 5-6 at Baglung. She said
that the training helped her
understand how the media can play
a positive role in disseminating
accurate information on the
constitution drafting process. ―This
is the first time I attended a training
on the constitution and the
discussions really helped me
understand better the 11 Thematic
Committee reports, especially on
fundamental rights.‖
28 journalists from Baglung, Myadgi
and Parbat districts participated in
the training. There have been 47
female journalists out of the 266
journalists who have taken the
training from Seti, Mahakali,
Dhaulagiri, Gandaki, Mechi, Koshi,
Narayani, Bheri, Rapti and Lumbini.
Khatri used to believe that
parliamentary reporting is only for
journalists who cover the
Legislature-Parliament and the CA.
She has been copying and pasting
media reports coming from the
Kathmandu Valley. ―This orientation
helped us to understand that
constitution making is our own
issue and that we can raise these
UN n e w s l e t t e r
N e p a l
issues ourselves, especially during
the second phase of public
outreach. Our support will make
the Constitution a huge success‖,
she said.
Also, Ms. Januka Dhimal from
Simana FM, Jhapa, said that even
though she has been actively
involved in journalism since five
years but she never received any
formal training, like this one, to
enhance her skills or capacity.
Januka had a tough time convincing
her family and their society that a
female from the Dhimal
(indigenous) community can be a
journalist. ―Neither the station
managers nor my supervisor
thought that I could prepare a
political radio package -- but I took
every opportunity to report on
political issues.‖
―This kind of training offered by
UNDP SPCBN is very helpful as I
better understood the constitution
making process now. The training
has given me insights into news
angles by which to explore Nepali
women‘s participation in each state
organization,‖ said Dhimal.
Even journalists from the Far
Western Region of Nepal have
become more active after the
training. Some of them participated
in the two-day training in
Dadeldhura held in June. Laxmi
Ayer of the ―Amargadi Post― in
Dadeldhura said that there is a lack
of awareness among the people
living in the Far West about
constitutional issues and people
should get an opportunity from
those remoter areas should also
know about the constitution-drafting
process.
―I now feel that I am also
responsible for the constitutionmaking
process and I intend to do
everything I can do to help!‖ said
Ayer.
www.un.org.np, kathmandu.unic.org
UNITED NATIONS IN NEPAL
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